Floating Doctors, Bocas del Toro, Panama

While wandering through the streets of Bocas del Toro one afternoon I stumbled across a group of young men and women and a group of the elderly all together, just hanging out in the park. I thought to my self, “Self, this is an interesting combination” so I marched myself right over and asked (in what was brought to my attention as the twangiest southern accent…it pops up when I get really excited) ”What are y’all doing here with these old people in wheelchairs?”

And that’s when I met Catie. I was overcome by her sweetness! Blonde haired blue eyed, soft spoken Catie had the warmest and most gentle spirit of anyone I’ve ever met. She’s the kind of person you meet and say I want to be like her when I grow up, or, if you’re to old and it’s too late, I hope I have a child like her one day.

Catie works for an organization called Floating Doctors. Currently they work out of Bocas del Toro and the surrounding islands and offer medical service to those in need. A few days at a time they take a boat loaded with supplies to neighboring islands and host clinics. When “in port” they host clinics on Isla Colon near the airport. Made up entirely of volunteers and lead by Dr Benjamin LaBrot and his younger sister Sky, Floating Doctors is one of the few volunteer organizations in Bocas del Toro reaching out to the true locals that call the islands home.